The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Abubakar O. Sulaiman, is under intense scrutiny following a formal request for access to his academic and professional records from the University of Abuja.
The request, filed under the Freedom of Information Act by Professor Jake D. Dan-Azumi, seeks to clarify the legitimacy of Sulaiman’s academic qualifications and his promotion to professorship.
Professor Dan-Azumi’s request raises significant concerns regarding Sulaiman’s academic contributions, questioning his publication history and language proficiency. The request points to the absence of Sulaiman’s work in reputable academic databases, with a Google Scholar search for “Sulaiman Olarewaju Sulaiman” reportedly yielding no results, casting further doubt on his academic credentials.
The legitimacy of Sulaiman’s listed publications is also under scrutiny, with allegations that many are published in predatory journals. Dan-Azumi finds Sulaiman’s claimed output of 3-5 papers per year from 2003 to 2015 implausibly high, adding to the concerns over his academic integrity.
Additional issues raised include the validity of Sulaiman’s official recognition as a lecturer, inconsistencies in his promotion timeline, and allegations of involvement in admission fraud. Professor Dan-Azumi has also requested the university to disclose the assessment criteria for professorship as of 2016 to determine whether Sulaiman met the necessary standards at the time.
The request underscores the need for a thorough review of Sulaiman’s academic and professional records, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in the academic community. Professor Dan-Azumi has warned that failure by the University of Abuja to provide the requested information could lead to further legal action under the Freedom of Information Act.
The University of Abuja is urged to address these serious concerns promptly and comprehensively.
